


Careless Whisper

by tmwillson3



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 80's Music, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Romantic Gestures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 03:29:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21172679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmwillson3/pseuds/tmwillson3
Summary: Rey was determined to forget about Ben with her friends ... at least until he appeared in front of Poe's house with a boombox.





	Careless Whisper

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing! This is another Flydam Friday drabble, with the prompt this week as whisper. So you know we need Ben and Careless Whisper involved somehow. I hope you enjoy it!

"Rey, just forget about Ben. Tonight is about you and finally leaving that hellhole," said Finn, patting his best friend's shoulder. 

Rose appeared magically with two shot glasses of reddish-brown liquid. "Here's a drink. Kaydel made it; it's her fall specialty. Bottoms up!"

"What is it?" asked Rey before gulping both quickly. "That was good; I needed that."

Rose grinned and gave her best friend a side hug. "Apple pie shot. To fall and Rey!"

"Cheers!"

Poe grilled in his backyard, and Kaydel manned their bar, churning out all the apple-flavored and cinnamon drinks imaginable. Rey sat on the cushy patio furniture and stared gloomily at the pool that was about to be put away. She felt like that pool: both were entering a new, unknown season in their lives.

Where did she go next?

"Rey, there's no point in dwelling on the past; the jerk just gave you a reason to leave sooner was all," called Kaydel, trying to be helpful.

"Yes. He actually helped in a small way. So you can't take your mini-oven idea to all corners of the world to help others; Snoke wouldn't have allowed it anyway. You've got tons more anyway," said Finn, sitting beside her.

"Say, why don't you join the Peace Corps - or was it the Army Corps of Engineers - like Luke did? He seems happy," suggested Poe, bringing more drinks.

Rey finished two more shots quickly, now pleasantly tipsy. "Can we just not talk about work or him, please? I just made the scariest decision of my life and quit; I'm still not sure I did the right thing."

"If things get really bad, you can stay with us," volunteered Poe. "Right, Kay?"

"You bet!"

"No, she's staying with us," insisted Rose, sitting across from Rey. "She's our best friend."

"I don't want to lose my apartment, period!" cried Rey, standing up and storming off toward the gate. 

She had  _ not _ escaped foster care and Plutt just to get an expensive degree, fancy job, and then go back to being poor again. She was done with that life. She wanted comfort and stability. Quitting the first engineering firm to hire her had been the most stressful decision she ever made. She had loved Leia and the Skywalkers, but everything had gone downhill when Snoke bought up the company and did a hostile takeover. 

She leaned against the white picket fence and sighed, trying not to tremble. Everything they said reminded her that she could run out of money soon, and she had no prospects because she had only been there three years.

Ben didn't have that problem, nor would he ever. He had experience and was wanted by all, even her if she was being honest with herself.

After that kiss a few weeks ago, she thought they were going to be a couple, but it seemed it was all an elaborate plot to make her trust him and show him her plans for the mini-oven. 

"Rey, do you need a hug?" She turned and faced Rose, who looked crestfallen. "I'm sorry, Rey. We'll be better behaved now."

"I know what'll cheer her up; food's ready!" cried Finn, smiling warmly.

She smiled a little, but it wasn't enough for her friends.

"We can do better than this! What kind of music would you like to listen to, Rey? Your choice," said Poe, throwing his hands out magnanimously. 

"That's easy. We need some eighties; Rey loves everything about the eighties," said Rose, putting an arm around Rey and leading her to the table.

"You really don't have to-"

Rey stopped when the opening saxophone riff of Wham's "Careless Whisper" was blasted loudly from somewhere outside the backyard. She tilted her head and listened, curious where and how it was coming out so loudly. 

"Poe, did you do that?"

"No, Rose. I'm not that fast. Sounds like it's coming from the front yard-Rey, where are you going?"

Rey also didn't understand  _ why _ someone would play one of her favorite songs so loudly, but she had alcohol in her system and Ben on her mind. He was the only one who knew that. She ran and pushed open the fence, only to stop at the sight that greeted her. 

Ben Solo only wore black. That was a given. He also didn't make a fool of himself in public. That was why Rey gasped and covered her mouth in shock, alerting the others to a sight no one thought they'd ever see.

"Is that … Ben Solo in a bright yellow shirt and Kelly-green tracksuit? Am I going crazy?" asked Finn, rubbing his eyes.

Rey had never seen Ben look forlorn or so cast down. He seemed so defeated, other than the fact that he carried two large devices on his shoulders as he looked at Rey's little Beetle with longing and pain.

Poe whistled and shouted, "Looking good, nerd!"

When Ben heard the whistle, he saw the others for a split second before spotting Rey. Then, all his attention was focused on her as he left the street and knelt down in the grass some ways in front of her. 

"What is he doing-"

"Shhh!"

Rey shushed Rose with a hand as her heart beat wildly. She couldn't take her eyes off Ben as he hung his head, looking down at the grass as he moved off his right shoulder what looked like a chrome watermelon with tiny legs to the grass in front of him. Then he shifted the extra-long boombox from his left shoulder and held it high above his head with both hands.

For the rest of the song, he proudly held that boombox above his head. Rey took to examining the unique creation more closely as it played her favorite song a second time, trying not to giggle at the fact that the entire neighborhood was now outside and glaring or laughing at Ben. After the song played through twice, he put down the boombox, and she held her breath.

"What are you doing here, Ben?"

He stood up and picked up the watermelon-shaped object. "Rey, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve all that from me." When she didn't move, he took a deep breath and gave her a pleading look. When she still didn't respond, he enunciated, "I carried a watermelon. I made it … the first prototype. For you."

That was when she lost it. She kicked off her high heels took them both in her hands, making as though to stab someone with the pointy heel. Then, she charged at Ben with a growl.

She had been hoping that he was just going to beg forgiveness. Not that. Not rub it in her face. 

As she ran forward, he dropped the mini-oven and stood in front of his creations, as though to shield them. When she was in range, she brutally slashed both heels at whatever part of Ben she could reach, whether head, arms, legs, and even the groin. 

"Ben Solo, if you think that you can just win me over with my favorite song, a quote from my favorite movie, and choosing to make  _ my  _ creation in the shape of my favorite food, you're wrong! I hate you!"

To his credit, he didn't try to fight her. He just blocked any shot at his stomach or groin, using his arms as a shield. He let her hit him until it was all out of her system.

"Wow. That felt really good," gasped Rey when she finally gave up, please to see scratches on his arms.

"It better," he muttered before hurrying to add, "Rey, I need to talk to you-"

"Well, you got my attention, but I don't know if I want to talk to you-"

"Don't you want your designs and patents back?" he asked, ducking to pick up the mini-oven. "It's all in here."

She glared at him, not trusting him at all. He shoved it into her arms.

"Open it. It's all there. They're yours now."

She held his gaze for another minute before she couldn't take it anymore. The thought of having all of her designs back was too tempting to resist. She admired the smooth metal and attention to detail he put into creating the lines on the outer bottom half of the oven, mimicking a watermelon, and then she held her breath as she opened the door.

Sure enough, every single drawing and design was printed out, without any company logo. There were also three flash drives.

She looked up with shaky hands and tears ready to fall. "How did you do this, Ben?"

"A little-known fact about Skywalker Electronics is that the contract specifically states that when an employee leaves the company, they can take all their intellectual property with them. That's why Snoke was so desirous to keep certain people," said Ben quietly.

Rey's head shot up, momentarily forgetting about her recovered designs. "You mean-"

"My mother and uncle took a lot of things with them. They pulled that stunt at the last second as he kicked them out. He has no way of changing it, either," said Ben smugly. "Snoke had no idea just how many things you've done."

"Because he's a misogynistic, selfish, soulless, prune with no feelings!" cried Rey. 

He nodded. "And more. I … I screwed up. I let my desire to get ahead ruin the best thing that ever happened to me: you, Rey. I'm sorry."

She grabbed his chin and yanked him down to her level. "You should be. That was my design, and you never corrected him!"

His hands cupped her face, face sober and eyes determined. "Until it was too late. By then, you were gone, and I saw my mistake. He was so glad to have scared you off; he never realized how brilliant you were, how you were the only good thing at that company after my family left, how empty it all felt after you were gone-"

"Ben! Seriously, why are you still there if you're saying all this?" she asked, shaking him lightly. 

He grinned. "I'm not. I quit as soon as he said that you were nothing. But not to me. You're everything." 

She inhaled sharply and was about to speak when she recognized the thoughtful look. He was getting ready to say something that he felt would help him win an argument.

"Ben-"

"Rey, I want you to join me."

Her mouth dropped open, and his index finger came forward to trace her lips, a smile slowly forming. Whatever it was she expected, it wasn't that. 

"I know we argued and didn't get along at first, but I've learned much from you since you joined three years ago. I've come to respect and like you, Rey. I know I have nothing to recommend myself besides my own designs, but think about it. Seriously," he said, taking her shoulders. "Think of all we could do together, with my electrical background and your mechanical one. We'd be unstoppable. We could create anything, or rule the galaxy-"

"I don't want any of those things, Ben. I'm not in it for the money-"

"Then do it for me," he pleaded, voice growing soft and low as his hands slid down her arms and grasped her hands. "Please. Give me a second chance. Let me make it up to you. We can be partners and set up our own firm. I don't want anyone else. I want you."

Her heart stuttered in shock, and she found it hard to breathe. 

"Rey? Say something," he urged, squeezing her hands tighter. "I'm not used to seeing you with a neutral face."

Everything within her yearned to reach out and trust him. To kiss him and tell him yes. And yet, she was torn.

"How can I ever trust you again?" she asked.

"Because there's no one else who knows me like you do. You know how much I hate dishonesty, and I've beaten myself over it every day. I emailed the whole company and told them it was your design, and then resigned. Everyone knows, Rey. They'll always know now," he said, hands taking her face once more. "I've never regretted anything more than doing that. The thought of losing you-"

His grip tightened, and she was unprepared for the emotion he conveyed through his eyes and hands. She was ready to give in; he had given up his entire professional reputation, the thing he prized above all other things, for her. Anything of his could be questioned now.

"Why?" she asked persistently.

"You want me to say something, Rey, and I don't know what," he admitted, startling her. "Oh yes, I know that question well coming from you."

"I am not  _ that  _ predictable," she protested. "People keep telling me they know me, and no one does."

"But I do," he whispered, leaning in and touching her hair. "You're never predictable, but you do have certain habits. All of them endearing. You nibble on every pen you own, and it drives me crazy. You have to have every piece of paper you own out or else you can't concentrate." 

She rolled her eyes at his exaggeration. 

He paused before adding, "You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. Your joy and hope know no bounds, and you want to make things that will help others survive and not starve, like this solar-powered oven. I can help you do that. We can do that together. We have enough designs to keep up going so we can concentrate on the passion projects, and Uncle Luke's got contacts-"

"How much thought have you put into this?" she asked, shocked beyond belief. "You never plan this much."

He shrugged helplessly. 

"I want you, Rey. Can't you see that?" he asked. "It's not the same without you. Without your love."

Her hands tilted his face so she could see his eyes clearly. 

"It's nice to be wanted for what I can do, Ben, but that's never been the goal. All I want is you. Not your gifts, your abilities, your money, your expertise, or anything else. Just you."

He frowned. "Then why are we still talking-"

A chorus of voices called out around them. "Just kiss already!"

She pointed at the boombox. "He hasn't told me about-mmf!"

He kissed her, and she melted into him. When they pulled apart, he snapped his fingers, and "Careless Whisper" began playing again. 

She grinned. "Got any other songs on there?"

"Anything from the eighties is on Whisper for you," he said, touching something on his smart watch. U2's "All I Want is You" started playing, and he pressed his arms around her protectively. "Only because I love you. Will you join me?"

She grinned and nodded. "Yes, Ben. I will join you." Kissing him back, she stated, "I love you, too. Now let's dance."   
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
